Chari Hawkins Left the Olympics With a Victory After a Devastating Debut

The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris ended on a high note for U.S. track athlete Chari Hawkins. Chari made her debut at the games in August 2024.

Chari closed out the heptathlon at the Olympics strong on Friday, Aug. 9. It was a triumphant return after she faced a devastating blow the day before.

Chari finished 21st in the heptathlon at the Olympics. The placing allowed the Utah State alum to leave the competition with a win after a disappointing turn of events. On Thursday, Chari quickly got behind in the heptathlon after only two of the competition's seven events. During the first day, she "no heighted" in the high jump, one of the seven events. According to Deseret, "no heighted" means Chari missed three attempts in a row and received no points.

The "no heighted" move went viral, with many Olympic correspondents sharing their thoughts on Chari's unfortunate jump. The athlete was visibly upset about the ordeal and was seen shaking and crying once the video began making its rounds on social media.

"Oh my gosh," Chari told reporters after the event. "I don’t even know what to do. I’m like literally so shocked right now."

Fortunately, the track star bravely competed in the heptathlon the following day. Chari was seen smiling as she showed off her skills in three events: the long jump, the javelin, and the 800-meter race. According to her alma mater, Utah State's website, she took "14th in the long jump, with a mark of 5.90 meters, and 15th in the javelin with a throw of 44.30 meters." Chari also ended the event with a "time of 2:15.76 for a finish of 17th in the 800 meters."

Chari's recovery of the event came after her decade-long journey of getting into the Olympics. To qualify for the Paris Olympics, she set four new personal records at the heptathlon during the U.S. Olympic track and field trials in June 2024.

Although Chari admitted in a July 2024 interview that she thought her running career might be over in 2021, despite not yet achieving Olympian status, she revealed in an August interview that although she had tried to "make the Olympics three times now," she finally succeeded in 2024.

Chari is from the small town of Rexburg, Idaho. Born on May 21, 1991, she attended Madison High School before going on to Utah State University, where she majored in family and consumer science education. She is one of five children born to Bill Hawkins and Peggy Hawkins.

The Olympian is married to Charles O'Neal III. The two met in 2010 while training with the Utah State University track and field team and got engaged in May 2017, according to People. They tied the knot in 2020, with their wedding taking place at River Bottoms Ranch in Midway, Utah.